Logs and Splinters

"Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."                                                                     Matthew 7:5.  NLT

Jesus used a rather humorous example here so that it may be more memorable. The example of a man with a log in his eye trying to remove a speck in someone else's eye, would have been rather funny, as it can be now if we think about it. However, He was making an important point here; at times we can go about fault-finding but overlooking our own short comings. This is why Jesus mentioned the term, 'hypocrites'. Hypocrisy, is something that we can all become involved with. We are generally more tolerant to our own sin than we are to the sin of others. 

We may have the capability of noticing someone we feel has great sin in their life. The people that we criticise or 'judge,' are no different to ourselves because what they are doing, we may be doing also but no one knows, except us. We may consider our sin as just a splinter in comparison to the log in this other person's life. But, don't forget, splinters, if left untreated can fester and become really painful causing lots of suffering. 

Therefore, let us consider the splinter and put it into biblical terms. If a person has a certain sin in their life and leaves it without getting any help and prayer, they can find themselves in a place where that particular sin has become so great, that they are being ruled by it. It has become out of control. This can be sexual sin which can lead to adultery, homosexuality or pornography. Or it may be gossip, where a person tells other people things that they have been entrusted with. There are a host of different things that one can become involved in and without help, it will just become worse.

How do we measure sin? Sin is sin in Gods eyes. In the eyes of the law, unlawfulness covers a penalty and that penalty may be a fine or a prison sentence. That is the law and we must abide by this. In God's eyes, sin has no measurement. There really is no sin that is greater than the other, the same as a lie being, 'its only a white lie.' A white lie is a lie the same as  sin is sin. There really is no measurement. 

Therefore, a splinter is just as big as a log. Possibly the only difference being, that the splinter may not be seen at first. However, as we have seen, if left it will come to the surface.

If you've a splinter, get it attended to before it becomes much bigger.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com